Toy railway switch



Feb. 5 9 1924.

A. R. FERGUSSON TOY RAILWAY SWITCH 3 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. s, 1923 Feb. 5 9 1924.

A. R. FERGUSSON TOY RAILWAY SWITCH Fil ed Feb. 8,-1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 N avg. mm 3 ww m x Feb. 5, 1924. 1,482,633

A. R. FERGUSSON TOY RAILWAY SWITCH Filed Feb. a, 1923 Sheetfi-Shaet 3 like reference Patented Feb. 5, 1924.

entree STATES ALAN B FERGUSSON, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

TOY RAILWAY SWITCH.

Application filed February 8, 1923. Serial No. 617,688.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALAN R. Fnneussow, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to toy railway switches, an object of the invention being to provide an improved switching construction for toy or miniature railways which,

.by virtue of the present novel structure, may

be manufactured at a minimum of expense and which at the same time will be relatively strong and durable in use, and adapted to be readily and easily manufactured.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved switch structure for toy or miniature railways wherein the use of movable rails in the switching member or frog is obviated, thus enabling such member to be more easily and cheaply constructed and at the same time more durable and serviceable in use.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved switch Structure for toy railways in which the entire switching member or frog is connected end to end with an independent track section of the railway by switching or shifting the track section and switching member or frog bodily one relatively to the other.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved switch for miniature or toy railways wherein the rails and preferably the ties also are constructed of wire, thereby forming an exceptionally strong, durable, easily manufactured and relatively cheap structure.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and especially in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein characters indicate corresponding parts in the several views. and wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view illustrating a form of my invention; Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the shiftable switch plate; Fig. 3 is a cross section taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a cross section takensubstantially on line 4c of Fig. 1; Figs. 5 and 5 are perspective detail views illustrating somewhat different forms of frog points; Fig. 6 is a plan view in Toy Railway of a modified form of my invention; Fig. 7 is a cross section on line 77 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating particularly the shiftable switch member used in the construction shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 9 is a cross section showing the end of a rail section adaptedto cooperate therewith; Fig.

10 is a plan view of a somewhat modified form of my invention; and Fig. 11 is a detail of the shiftable switch parts.

Before explaining in detail the present improvement and mode of operation thereof, I desire to have it understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction and arrangements of parts which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments, and that the phraseology which I employ is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In the form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, it will be seen that the present switch construction comprises in general, a plurality of rail members, preferably formed of wire, and preferably mounted upon supporting ties formed of wire, the several rails forming a pair of converging track sections in which the adjacent ends of the rails are rigidly connected together in fixed relation and in substantially transverse alinement. By means of a shiftable switch plate or device which is preferably adapted to be detachably joined to a pair of independentrail ends, the latter may be positioned or switched into alinement with the rails of either of the track sections. Thus, the switching is accomplished without shifting or moving any of the main rail parts of the switching member or frog but solely by shifting the frog or switching member and the independent rail section one relatively to the other.

The switch member or frog comprises a. pair of converging track sections 9 and 10. The main track section 9 comprises an outer main rail 11 and theswitching track section 10 also comprises an outer main rail 12. These sections also have inner rails 13 and 14 respectively, terminating in a frog point 15.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1 the rails 13 and 14 converge and terminate at 1.6, and are connected and held together rigidly by means of a frog point 15 which is bent up from sheet metal. The frog point has rearwardly extending flaring portions 17 which are securedto the rails 13 and'14 as by spot welding.

The several rails 11, 12, 13 and 14 are prer erably wire formed in construction, andare rigidly mounted upon supporting meansso as to maintain the rails in fixed'position. In the present instance the supporting means comprises wire formed ties 18 cut to the desired length so as to extend underneath the several rails, it being noted that the wire ties 18 are of such length and are so bent as to permit each tie to form a supporting means for both sections9and 10. The several rails 11, 12, 13 and 14 are preferably secured to the cross ties by-spot weldingas shown at 19, so that a rigid-structure is provided.

Intermediate the outer rails 11 and 12and adjacent to the frog point 15 are secured a pair of wire formed rails 20 and .2'1which are'spot welded to the wire formed cross ties as at 22. The rails 20 and 521 extendin continuation of the rails 14 and 13 respectively, and are provided with wing portions 23 and 24 suitably Spaced from the frog point 15 so as to permit the flanged wheels of the train to pass over either side of the frog point.

Secured at 27 to the cross ties 18 as by spot welding are a pair of outer wire portions 25 and 26 to the-ends of which is secured a cross plate 27. The plate 27 may be spot welded as at 28 to the wire members 25 and 26 and extends therebet-ween soiasto form'a guide for a shiftable switch plate29. It will be noted that the rails 11, 12, 20 and 21 are'secured as'by spot welding at 30 to the guide plate 2'7, and the ends of these rails terminate in substantially transverse alinement, as shown clearly in Fig. 1.

The shiftable switch plate or member 29 is mounted upon the guide 27 so as to slide laterally back and forth. The switch plate 29 comprises a transverse portion 31 terminating at the edges in upwardly bent or partially coiled guide portionsj32 which are of sufficient distance apart, corresponding to the gage of the rails. The plate also has a part 33 which is bent overoihturned under at 34 o embrace the edge 35 of the guide 27. The plate is also notched at 36 and the edge thereof bent under at 37 to embrace the opposite edge ofthe guide 27. The bent portions 34 and 37 thus form guide channels permitting the plate 29 to be shifted laterally in either direction. The guide portions 32 of the shift plate are curved so as to receive the ends of'the wire rails 38 of an independent track section, and

the rails 38 and plate 29 are detachably connected together. This detachable connection in the present instance comprises openings 39 in the guide portions '32 and lugs 40 pinched from the rails 38 By pressing or contracting one or both of the ,metal in the conventional manner. sectlons-comprise outer main rails 45 and 46 andunner converging rails 47 and 48, terrail ends or the free spring ends of the ra ls 38 the lugs 40 may be sprung into the openings 39, thus providing a releasable spring or tension joint.

or. the'position shown in dotted lines in this figure. .In either position of the shift plate .29, thesaine is releasably held against any inadvertent flateral displacement which might be caused by vibration or jars, by virtue'of the fact that the edges 41 will extendunderlthe end of either the rail 21 or {rail 20 between the rail and the guide plate 27, asshown at 42 in Fig. 1. In other Words, the edge 41 of the shift plate will be wedged in the tapered space between the guide ,plate '27 and the under part of the wire-rail.

It willbe understood that the present improvedswitching method may be utilized in connection with various types of track 'structures, and in the modified form of my .invention illustrated in Figs. 6 to. 9 inclusive, it will be seen that the switching member or frog comprises a pair of converging sections 43 and 44, the rails of which are herein shown as formed from sheet These urinating in a frog point 49. The several vrails-are rmounted upon suitable cross ties 50 which may be stamped up from sheet metal inrthe conventional manner and secured to the several rails by lugs 50 bent over the flanges of the rails. A. pair of intermediate .rails 59 and .60 are secured to the cross ties 50 in fixed relation to the rails 45 and 46, and have wing portions 59 and 60 which are spaced from the frog point 49. The rails 59 and 60 thus extend in continuation of the rails 47 and 48 respectively. Outside the main rails 45 and'46 are a pair ofguide rails 51 which are secured to a pair of .cross ties 50, and to the ends of these rails 51 is secured a transversely extending guide plate 27 secured to the rails 51 by bending the ends 27 thereof over the outer flanges of these rails.

The rails 52 of an independent track section are adapted to be connected to either pair of rails 46 and 59 or 45 and 60, the rails 52 being secured to cross ties 53 by means of lugs 53 bentover the flanges thereof.

As .hereinbefore described a shift plate 29 is connected to the guide member 27, but in this instance short rail portions '56 are per manently secured to the shift plate 29 by bending the edges 54 thereof over the Jim nasaess flanges of the rails 56, and also bending up lugs 55 which are clinched over the flanges 57. Dowel pins 58.are set in the holes in the rails 56 and the rails 52 may be detachably or releasably connected to the rails 56 in the usual manner by inserting the dowel pins 58 into the ends 59 of rails 52.

Thus, in order to switch the rails 52 into prolongation with either pair of rails of the switch or frog it is merely necessary to shift the plate 29 to one side or the other as shown in full lines and dotted lines in Fig. 6.

In the construction shown in Fig. 5 the frog point 63 is formed by means of a pair of intersecting wire rails 61 and 62, the rail 62 being cut away at its end 65 to cooperate with the side of the rail 61, and the latter being tapered off at its end 64 in order to extend in prolongation to the outer side of rail 62. These wire rails are held in position as by spot weldin as at 66. In the construction shown in Tig. 5 the wire rail 67 is notched at 71 so as to receive the tapered end of the wire rail 68. The rail 67 is also tapered off at its end so as to extend in prolongation of the outer side of wire rail 68, and the two rails are held together as by spot welding as at 72, thus forming a rigid and durable frog point 69 which will withstand considerable strain and wear and yet which provides a construction which is cheap and easy to manufacture.

In the construction shown in Figs. 10 and 11 a right handedswitchis provided and in this instance the frog or switching member comprises a pair of converging sections 73 and 74. These sections are formed with outer wire rails 75 and 76 and intersecting wire rails 77 and 78, the several rails being preferabl spot welded at 81 to curved wire cross ties 79. The rails 75 and 76 are also spot welded to the wire ties 80. A pair of intermediate rails 82 and 84 are also secured as by spot welding to the wire ties and terminate in outwardly flaring wing portions 83 and 85 respectively, which are welded at 86 to a tie 79. A guide clamp or plate 87 having curved guide portions 88 for receiving the ends of the rails 75 and 76 is secured thereto as by spot welding at 89.

The rails 82 and 84 are also welded at 90 to coiled at 92. A shiftable switch plate 93 is connected to the plate 87. The forward edge of the plate 93 is bent under the edge of the plate 91 at 93 and also has a reduced portion 94 which is bent over the rear edge of the plate 87 at 94. The rear edge of the plate 97 is notched at 95 to form a guide within which the bent portion 94 rides. The shift plate 93 has the lateral edges thereof bent up to form curved guide portions 96 which are provided with openings 97 for receiving the lugs 40 of the rail ends 38. It will be readily seen that the rails 38 may be shifted into continuation with either pair of rails 76 and 84 or 75 and 82 merely by shifting the plate 93 in either direction upon the guide plate 87 as hereinbefore described.

It will be noted that the rails of sections 73 and 74 terminate in free spring ends 98 and 99, the rail ends 98 having lugs 100 pinched therefrom and the the rail ends 99 having lugs 101 pinched therefrom. B virtue of this construction the rail ends of each section may be releasably connected with a guide clamp 102 of an adjacent track section merely by contracting or tensioning the spring ends 98 or 99 so as to permit the lugs 100 to spring into openings 103 in the guide clamp, this clamp having secured thereto as by spot welding a pair of wire rails 104. This releasable connection, it will be seen is substantially the same as hereinbefore described and results in the provision of a spring joint which may be quickly and easily manipulated.

The wire rails 77 and 78 terminate in a frog point 105. The frog point in this instance is formed by notching out at 106, the curved rail 78 and cutting the end of the straight rail 77 at 107 so as to fit into this notched portion, the two rails being suitably welded together. In order to prevent the flanges of the car wheels from striking the apex of the frog point the intermediate wire rails 82 and 84 are provided with enlarged or projecting portions 108 substantially at the points where the wheels leave the rails 82 and 84 in passing over either side of the frog point. These parts will act to carr the flanges of the wheels inwardly to a sufiicient extent to clear the frog point.

It will be understood that the side edges of the part 91 of guide plate 87 may be only partially coiled if desired instead of being provided with the closed coil portions 92 as herein shown. These coil portions form upward projections which assist the child in shifting the switch plate 93, since the rail ends 38 and parts: 92 may be readily gripped between the thumb and forefinger for shifting the plate 93 to either side.

It is to be understood that by describing in detail herein any particular form, structure, or arrangement, it is not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims or the requirements of the prior art.

Having thus explained the nature of my said invention and described a way of constructing and using thesame, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made,or all of the modes of its use, I claim:

1. In a toy railway a switching member comprising supporting means and wire rails connected thereto.

2. In a toy railway a switching member comprising a pair of wire rails terminating in a frog point.

3. The combination in a toy railway of a pair of sections adapted to be held end to end, one thereof having switching rails, said sections having a guiding connection therebetween and includingmeans for shifting one of said sections relatively to the other.

a. The combination in a toy railway of a pair of sections adapted to .be held end to end, one thereof having switching rails, said sections having a guiding connection therebetween and including means forishifting one of said sections relatively to the other, and comprising a. slide member.

5. A. toy railway switch comprising a pair of diverging rail sections, means adjacent to the ends of said rail sections for connecting the same together, and means having a part thereof shiftable beyond said ends and slidingly connected to said first means for joining an independent rail section thereto.

6. Toy railway switching mechanism comprising two pairs of rails, means for maintaining the adjacent ends thereof in fixed relation, and means shiftably connected .to said means and shiftablerelatively to said ends for joining a pair of independent rail ends to eitherof said pairs of rails.

7. In a toy railway, a switch comprising a pair of relatively shiltable switch means having cooperating means for guiding one relatively to the other, two pairs of rails connected to one of said means, and a pair of rails connected to the other means, some-of said-rails being releasably connected to its switch means to permit the same to be readily knocked down and assembled. 8. A toy railway switch comprising a pair of converging rail sections, guide means for connecting the same together in fixed posiion, and means for joining an independent rail section to either of said sections and comprising a slide member guided by said guide means. I

9. A toy railway switch comprisinga pair of converging rail sections, and means for joining an independent pair of rails to either of said sect-ions and comprising a slide memher, and means for releasably connecting said member and rails together to permit the same to be readily knocked down and assembled.

10. A toy railway switch comprising wire ties and two pairs of wire rails connected thereto and terminating in substantially transverse alinement, and means for switching a rail section from one pair of ails to the other.

.11. Atoy railway switch comprising wire ties and .two pairs .of wire rails connected thereto and terminating in substantially transverse alinement, and slide means for switching a rail section from one pair of rails to the other. i

12. A toy railway switch comprising two pairs of rails terminating in substantially transverse fillilQIIlbIltyttnd means for switching a rail section from one pair of rails to the other, said means and rail section having a .detachable spring joint therebetween.

1 13. A toy railway switch comprising two pairs of rails terminating in substantially transverse alinement, and means for switching a rail section from one pair of rails to the other, said means and rail section having a part of one extending into the other to form a releasable joint.

14. In a toy railway switch the combination of a pair of toy sections, one comprising two pairs of rails located side by side and supporting means extending crosswise thereof, and the other section comprising a pair of rails and supporting means extending crosswise thereof, and means for shifting one of said sections together wlth its entire supporting means relativelyto the other sec- .tion.

15. The combination of a toy switching member comprising pairs of diverging rails and supporting means extending crosswise thereof, a. track section comprising a pair of rails and crosswise supporting means, and means for shifting said entire section and switching member, one relatively to the other.

16. The combination of a toy switching member comprising pairs of diverging rails and a track section having 8,133.11 of rails,

and meansadapted to connect said switching member and track section together and also to permit one to be shiftedbodily relatively to the other.

17. In a toy railway the combination of a pair ofconverging wire rails, said rails being rigidly held in position by welding, thereby forming a frog point.

18. In a toy railway switch the combination of supporting means, a pair of fixed wire rails carried thereby and terminating in a frog point, and a pair of fixed wire rails spaced from but extending in substantial continuation of said first rails.

19. In a toy railway switch the combination of wire formed ties, a pair of wire rails connected thereto-in fixed relation and terminating in a frog point, and a pair of wire rails adapted to extend in continuation of said first=rails.

20. In a toy railway a switch section comprising a plurality of connected wire formed rails.

21. In a toy railway a switch section comprising wire formed ties, rails connected thereto, and including a frog point.

22. In a toy railway a switch section comprising wire formed ties, and rails welded thereto.

23. In a toy railway the combination of a guide member, a switching slide carried by said guide member, a plurality of rail ends secured to said guide member, and means -tor detachably joining said slide to a. pair of independent rail ends.

24:. A toy railway switch comprising two pairs of wire formed rails terminating in substantially transverse alinement, and means for switching a rail section from one pair of rails to the other.

25. A toy railway switch comprising supporting means, wire formed rails carried thereby, and a switching member shiftable beyiond and relatively to the ends of said ra1 s.

26. The combination of a toy switching member comprising pairs of diverging wire formed rails, a track section having a pair of rails, and means for shifting said section and switching member, one relatively to the other.

27. The combination in a toy railway of a pair of sections adapted to be held end to end, one thereof having switching rails, and means for shifting one of said sections relatively to the other, each of said sections including wire formed rails.

28. A toy railway switch comprising supporting means and two pairs of spaced rails connected to said supporting means in fixed relation, and a switch plate shiftable across the end of certain of said rails and having an interlocking guiding connection with said supporting means.

29. In a toy railway a switch section comprising wire iormed supporting means and wire rails connected thereto.

30. In a toy railway the combination of a pair of sections adapted to be held end to end, one thereof having switching rails, and means for joining saidsections together and adapted to form a releasable tension joint.

31. In a toy railway the combination of a pair of sections adapted to be held end to end, one thereof having fixed switching rails, and means for joining said sections together and adapted to form a spring joint, said means permitting said sections to be shifted one relatively to the other.

32. In a toy railway switch a pair of converging track sections connected together, one of said sections having a releasable tension joint with an adjacent section.

33. In a toy railway switch, a pair of rails terminating in a frog point, and a pair of rails having bent wing portions adjacent to said frog point, said last rails having inward projections at the bends thereof.

34. In a toy railway switch, two pairs of rails, a guide member secured to said rails and having bent edges spaced from said rails, and a switch member shiftable between said bent edges.

35. In a toy railway the combination of a switch section, a track section, and a guide member secured to one of said sections and having upward projections at the edges thereof, said other section having a part thereof adapted to be shifted between said projections.

36. In a toy railway, a switch section comprising wire formed ties, and rails connected thereto.

Signed at 182234 Park Row Building, New York city, N. Y., this 31st day of January, 1923.

ALAN R. FERGUSSON. 

